However, although we excluded patients with a historyof tuberculosis, those receiving insulin therapy, those on peritoneal dialysis orhemodialysis, and those who had received blood transfusions in the 3 months precedingstudy entry, the associations of ESR and CRP with anemia in the present study should beconfirmed in studies investigating larger samples, preferably with a higher prevalenceof iron-deficiency anemia and without the presence of comorbidities such as HIVinfection, alcoholism, and smoking. This evidence concerns the gene INS and alcohol dependence.